Ex-BJP ally RSP joins opposition chorus, blames EVMs for defeat in Maharashtra polls
Mumbai (PTI): The Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP), a former ally of the BJP-led Mahayuti, on Saturday joined the opposition parties in raising doubts about the electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the recently held Maharashtra elections.
RSP chief Mahadev Jankar alleged that his party's votes were transferred to Mahayuti candidates during the November 20 polls, which saw the ruling alliance record a landslide victory.
The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, won 230 out of 288 seats, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) bagged 46 seats. Following the poll drubbing, the opposition parties have alleged irregularities in the functioning of EVMs and called for the use of ballot papers.
Talking to PTI, Jankar said, "EVMs can be hacked. I am also an engineer. If democracy has to be kept alive, we need to switch to paper ballots."
He also alleged that the RSP votes got transferred to Mahayuti candidates.
Jankar claimed Sunil Bandgar, the party's candidate from the Akkalkot assembly seat, got zero votes from his village and questioned how the candidate could not get his own vote.
Bandgar received just 1,312 votes.
As per the seat-sharing arrangement for the assembly polls, the BJP had left the Gangakhed seat for the RSP, but the party rejected the alliance. It fielded 93 candidates and won one seat.
Jankar had contested the Parbhani Lok Sabha seat as part of the NDA.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
